We need saliva to speak – but a blockage can lead to surgery
A young man came into the surgery last month looking worried, after finding a lump on his jaw.
It was at the side of his face, just below and slightly to the front of his ear.
The small lump had appeared recently so, since it was painless and unlikely to be an infection, I sent him up to the hospital for a scan.
This was a precautionary measure, done in order to rule out anything sinister.
His troublesome lump seemed to be in his parotid gland.
These are typically located either side of the mouth and beneath the ears.
Our parotid glands are one of three pairs which produce saliva in the mouth.
This is, of course, the fluid which helps us break down and lubricate our food.
Chemicals in saliva helps keep our teeth strong but it also helps us talk, too.
If you’ve ever had to do a bit of public speaking you might be aware of how difficult it can be with a dry mouth.
The parotid gland can be affected by mumps.
This condition causes it to swell up and make one look not unlike a hamster.
My patient’s scan at the hospital also included using a needle to take a wee sample from the lump.
It turned out to be something called a pleomorphic adenoma.
That’s quite a scary title for what is actually a rather benign tumour.
These tumours in the parotid glands are in fact relatively common.
However, the majority of them – 80% or so – are in fact not cancerous.
That doesn’t mean you should ignore a lump like that if one pops up.
They should always be checked out by an expert.
Most are eventually removed surgically, to prevent any future problems.
Salivary gland swellings can also be caused by a wee stone.
These can form in the gland following a build-up of calcium in the area.
We’re not entirely sure why this happens, although some people who take blood pressure drugs and antihistamines are more at risk of developing them.
A swelling of the cheek gland might also be caused by other illnesses such as sarcoidosis, a collection of cells which become inflamed.